News Briefs (March 26, 2015)American Legion Jamboree The American Legion Jamboree, which will begin at 6 p.m. tonight, will feature the Lee Mountain Boys including Boyd Barton, Merle Shoptaw, Jim Killer, Larry Mahan, Chuck Hayward and Kim Virden. City of Russellville public meeting The city of Russellville and the Russellville Recreation and Parks Department will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday at the Hughes Community Center. The City and the Recreation and Par...

Severe weather risk to stretch from Texas to Indiana tonightAccuWeather reports severe weather is forecast to develop the Central United States into Wednesday night, impacting a similar area that saw spotty strong storms on Tuesday. A risk of flooding will follow the storms on Thursday. Warm, moist air will surge into the central and southern Plains to the Ohio Valley at midweek. The severe weather risk area into Wednesday night is home to approximately 12 million people. The storms have the potential ...

Military: Bergdahl may face life in prison if convicted FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — The Army sergeant who abandoned his post in Afghanistan and was held captive by the Taliban could face up to life in prison if convicted of both the charges he's facing, military officials said Wednesday. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was charged with misbehavior before the enemy, which carries a maximum sentence of up to life in prison. He was also charged with desertion, which carries a maximum of five years. Bergdahl could also...

Dover extends contracts for most personnelDOVER — The Dover Board of Education acted on contract extensions for the vast majority of certified staff members Thursday after a short executive session. The board accepted the resignation of long-time science teacher Randy Christie effective at the end of the school year, as he recently announced his retirement. Board President David Dale commented he was a student when Christie began teaching at Dover, and he was one of his favorite teach...

ATU freshman awarded scholarshipArkansas Tech University freshman Emily Bruce has earned the Christina Stinnett Memorial Scholarship offered through the Arkansas Tech Foundation. Bruce is a vocal music education major from Clarksville. Also photographed is Dr. Cynthia Hukill, head of the Arkansas Tech Department of Music and associate professor of music. The namesake of the scholarship was a 23-year-old student at the University of Arkansas when she passed away in 2007. Jayn...

Danville sets blood drive recordDANVILLE — The commitment of one high school to donate blood could save more than 100 lives across the state. Danville High School recently set a new record for blood donations during its semiannual blood drive, which will benefit the Arkansas Blood Institute (ABI). More than 40 students, faculty and staff gave 39 units of blood, which can help as many as 117 patients at three area hospitals. Although donors had to be at least 16 years old, st...

Senior Activity Center member to celebrate 100th birthdayThe Pope County Senior Wellness and Activity Center will celebrate the 100th birthday of Willard “Scrappy” Smith next month. The public is invited to attend Smith's birthday party from 2-6 p.m. on April 11 at the center. Smith was born on April 8, 1915, in Clinton to Jess T and Ora Arnold Smith. His father was a farmer, and his mother died in 1922. Smith accompanied his father at the family farm throughout school. Smith graduated in 1934 and p...

City filling sidewalk gapsSidewalks don’t last forever. If not taken care of on a regular basis, they can chip and have broken sand and dirt gaps replace the smooth concrete where many feet once walked, jogged or ran. The Russellville City Council recently approved $142,387 to construct and improve sidewalks on the west side of North Arkansas Avenue from Parkway Drive to O Street, or the State Highway 7 and 124 intersection. It’s part of an in-house plan to renovate th...

Morrilton house fire kills toddlerMORRILTON — Police in Morrilton say the cause of a fire that killed a 4-year-old boy has not yet been determined. Police Chief Sonny Stover told reporters that the fire was reported early Sunday morning and that the child’s grandfather and three other children were able to escape the burning home. Stover says the grandfather tried, but was unable to re-enter the home and rescue the 4-year-old. The child’s name had not been released on Tuesday.

Obituary: Roy YearganDARDANELLE — Roy Lee “Cowboy” Yeargan, 67, of Pottsville died Friday, March 20, 2015, at the Arkansas Hospice River Valley Home. He was born Dec. 13, 1947, at Nacogdoches, Texas, to the late Earl Francis and Ima Rea Tucker Yeargan. He was a member of the Pine Ridge Freewill Baptist Church in Atkins, United States Army veteran and an avid outdoorsman. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Milton Yeargan. Survivors include his...

Obituary: David BettiegrueDARDANELLE — David Bettiegrue, 53, of Russellville died Monday, March 23, 2015, at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. He was born Sept. 18, 1962, at Kennett, Mo., to the late William Eugene and Nola Louise Jackson Bettiegrue. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Danny Bettiegrue. Survivors include his wife, Brenda Bettiegrue of Russellville; five daughters, Sandra Keefe of Russellville, Mandy Delinger of Rogersville, Mo....

Obituary: Wilma DobbsOKEMAH, Okla. — Funeral services for Wilma Lucille Dobbs were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at the Parks Brothers Funeral Home Chapel in Okemah, Okla. Interment followed at the Morse Cemetery. Wilma Lucille Dobbs was born Oct. 6, 1925, in Morse, Okla., to Bill Kenneda and Alice (Campbell) Kenneda. She passed away Saturday, March 21, 2015, in Tahlequah, Okla., at the age of 89. Mrs. Dobbs was born and raised in Okfuskee County. She an...

Obituary: Tressie AultTressie Erwin Ault, 64, of Russellville departed this life Tuesday, March 24, 2015, at her home. She was born June 23, 1950, at Ben Hur to Joe and Christine Sexton Sumers. Tressie was an avid cat lover. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James Ault; and a brother, Tommy Sumers. Survivors include one brother, James “Sonny” Sumers of Pottsville; one sister, Lee Bradley and husband Doug of Russellville and several nieces and n...

Obituary: Raymond AldersonCLARKSVILLE — Mr. Raymond Clark Alderson, 88, of Clarksville passed away March 22, 2015, in Lamar. He was born Oct. 25, 1926, in Johnson County to Roy and Ollie (Clark) Alderson. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ann Alderson; brother, James Alderson; and sister, Evelyn Owens. He is survived by his daughter, Dena Alderson of Detroit, Mich.; grandson, David Alderson of Detroit, Mich.; sisters, Evey Hollis of Clarksville, Hettie John...

Obituary: Randy PalmerCLARKSVILLE — Mr. Randy Roy Palmer, 58, of Clarksville departed his early life on March 22, 2015, in the early morning surrounded by family and close friends at Saint Mary’s. He was born Feb. 15, 1957, in Clarksville and was the only child of Leroy and Betty (Bell) Palmer. He is preceded in death by his father, Leroy Palmer. He is survived by his mother, Betty Palmer; his only son, Tim Brooks and many friends who were like family to him and to...

Obituary: Bobbi Watkins-BootsCLARKSVILLE — Bobbi Watkins-Boots, 29, of Coal Hill died March 22, 2015, in Russellville. She was born Nov. 14, 1985, in Sacremento, Calif., to Charles Pickard and Stephanie Ray. She is preceded in death by her father and two sisters, Matti Belle Pickard and Victoria Inez Pickard. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Watkins of Coal Hill; son, Gavin Pickard of Coal Hill; daughters, Korbon and Genesis Pickard of California; mother, Stephanie ...

Obituary: Betty Sue ArmourLITTLE ROCK — Betty Sue Armour, 74, of Russellville passed away on Sunday, March 15, 2015. She was born in Fort Smith on Dec. 25, 1940, to the late Wesley and Catherine (Flippin) Olgesby. She is survived by her two sons, Joe Bob Wise of Little Rock and Chris Meadows of Russellville; three grandchildren, Chad Wise, Elizabeth Wise and Megan Meadows; and numerous other friends and family members. Memorials can be made to American Cancer Society, ...

Pottsville OKs grocery store workPOTTSVILLE — The Pottsville City Council gave the Pope County Historic Foundation the OK to continue renovation and preservation of downtown historic Pottsville during its meeting Monday at City Hall. Pam Scarber, president of the Pope County Historic Foundation, presented ideas to the City Council, one of which concerned the Pottsville Grocery building on Ash Street. “If you've noticed, we just finished a $45,000 project on [Potts Inn],” Scar...

News Briefs (March 25, 2015)Martin Chapel Assembly of God Egg Hunt The Martin Chapel Assembly of God will host an Easter Egg Hunt from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The event will feature an egg hunt, door prizes, a petting zoo, face painting and a lunch with hot dogs and all of the trimmings. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand for kids to meet and have pictures taken. The church is located at 6635 State Highway 333 North of London. In the event of inclement weather,...

Plane crash kills 150 people in French Alps; Europe in shockSEYNE-LES-ALPES, France (AP) — A black box recovered from the scene and pulverized pieces of debris strewn across Alpine mountainsides held clues to what caused a German jetliner to take an unexplained eight-minute dive Tuesday midway through a flight from Spain to Germany, apparently killing all 150 people on board. The victims included two babies, two opera singers and 16 German high school students and their teachers returning from an excha...